Armed security guards

Meagan Flynn, The Washington Post Published 2:57 am, Friday, June 8, 2018 As the first officer to exchange gunfire with the mass shooter who terrorized Orlando's Pulse nightclub on the morning of June 12, 2016, Adam Gruler was quickly hailed a hero. For his actions, the Orlando Police Department honored him with a "Pulse Valor Award," and Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., invited him to be her guest at President Donald Trump's State of the Union address. But nearly two years later, some of the victims and the families of those who died are telling a different story. In a federal lawsuit filed in Orlando Thursday, the victims and families claim Gruler, who was working an extra job as Pulse's security guard that night, remained outside "to ensure his own safety" while the gunman shot and killed 49 people and injured 68 others inside Pulse. Gruler is one of 31 Orlando police officers sued, but the only one of them identified by name. The plaintiffs contend that Gruler and the other … [Read more...] about Pulse nightclub security guard, once hailed a hero, is being sued by victims of the mass shooting

Survivors of last week's shooting at a high school near Houston told gripping stories of dodging bullets, hiding from the attacker and seeing classmates get shot as they pleaded with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday for more armed security to keep campuses safe. The emotional three-hour discussion marked the end of three days of meetings Abbott held on school safety and mass shootings. And while the governor has appeared to embrace ideas of boosting security and tracking student mental health, there is little expectation the staunch gun-rights supporter will push for major changes to restrict owning firearms or buying them. The Republican, who is campaigning for re-election, organized the mostly closed-door meetings shortly after eight students and two substitute teachers were fatally shot inside Santa Fe High School. Abbott said he wanted to find "swift and meaningful" ways to stop future shootings. He hasn't said when or what he'll recommend, but told the survivors and their … [Read more...] about Santa Fe High School Families Call for More Armed Security in Talks With Governor

A 14-YEAR-OLD rape victim has been awarded $1BILLION after a security guard working at her building attacked her in front of her boyfriend. Hope Cheston was standing outside at a party in Georgia when the armed security guard approached her by some picnic benches and subjected to her to the vile assault. Rapist Brandon Lamar Zachary, who was 22 at the time of the attack in October 2012, should never have been hired because he wasn’t licensed to be an armed guard, attorney Chris Stewart said. Cheston - who waived her anonymity to speak out about the case - won the landmark amount after a jury on Tuesday handed down the verdict against Crime Prevention Agency, the security company that employed Zachary. Prison records show Zachary was previously convicted of statutory rape and is serving a 20-year prison sentence. After reading the verdict jurors immediately left the jury box – without waiting for the judge’s permission – to hug Cheston and her … [Read more...] about Rape victim, 14, awarded $1BILLION after security guard working at her building attacked her in front of her boyfriend

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — The Pasco County School District is looking to hire 50 armed school security guards to work at elementary schools starting in August.The district hopes to hire former military or retired law enforcement for the positions.The new safety plan comes after new state requirements following the mass shooting in Parkland where 17 people were killed on Valentine's Day.Brenda Golnik said adding armed safety guards on campus may ease her children's concerns."Yeah, they're afraid. They're nervous. If they see a fire truck, an ambulance or police car come to school they immediately text me, they're afraid," said Golnik.On Wednesday night, Pasco School leaders took questions from parents and students about school safety at a meeting on the campus of River Ridge High School in New Port Richey.District leaders said the school safety guards will receive training from the sheriff's office."I think they'll be able to handle it, I just wish it didn't have to come to … [Read more...] about Parents react to district adding 50 armed security guards in Pasco County schools

A South suburban police officer has quit the force amid a criminal investigation stemming from his previous job as a security guardAdrian Santos III, 34, resigned from his position as a police officer for the the Village of Phoenix, a small municipality which borders Harvey, on March 28th. His departure comes on the heels of a Tribune story that detailed how Santos, as a Walmart security guard, arrested a suspected shoplifter who ended up dying as he was taken into custody.The story also revealed that Santos allegedly provided incorrect information about his law enforcement credentials to Chicago police investigating the 2017 death Specifically, Santos told Chicago police officers that he was a deputy for the Lake County Sheriff’s department in Indiana — even though he was fired two years earlier following an arrest on domestic violence charges in Hammond, according to law enforcement documents.Santos was working as an armed security guard for Monterrey Security Consultants … [Read more...] about Former security guard under investigation resigns from his suburban police job